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UIndy joins Construction continues as Spencer building opens G-MAC By Patrick Matteson Assistant Editor

By Matthew Tolbert Web & Puzzle Editor

The University of Indianapolis will join the Great Midwest Athletic Conference next year. “We’ve been working on UIndy for the last 10 years to come join us in the G-MAC,” Hillsdale College Director of Athletics John Tharp said. “We think it will be a great thing for the University of Indianapolis and for the G-MAC.” UIndy competed in the Great Lakes Valley Conference as one of the founding members in 1978. UIndy will officially become a member of the G-MAC on July 1, 2027. In a video interview, UIndy Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Kim Pate said the opportunity to join the G-MAC arrived in early April, and UIndy had to make a decision by the end of June. The move shifts the Greyhounds from a conference made up of schools in Missouri, Illinois, Iowa, and Indiana, to one that includes schools in Michigan, Ohio, and Kentucky. Pate credited the reduction of travel times in the G-MAC as a major influence on the decision. “The piece that everybody agreed on was the travel,” Pate said. “Travel has become taxing on our student athletes.”

The Diana Davis Spencer Graduate School of Classical Education Building is now open, providing lecture halls, seminar rooms, and office spaces for faculty from several departments, according to Chief Administrative Officer Richard Péwé. The opening of the classical education building is one of many summer construction and renovation projects, Péwé said. These projects also include reopenings in the Grewcock Student Union and renovations to the Knorr Student Center, which have caused several campus departments to relocate. The classical education building has 18 faculty offices, according to Provost Christopher VanOrman. Eight of the nine education professors chose to move to the new building, while the remaining 10 offices were offered to professors based on seniority. As a result, the building hosts professors from many disciplines. “I had a list of people who had requested to move, so I just went by pure seniority,” VanOrman said. “That’s how I got English, theology, some math, and computer science there.” The lower floor of the Knorr Student Center closed for construction in early August, prompting Career

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Services and the Writing Center to relocate to the fourth floor of Lane Hall. The audiovisual department moved to the Fowler Maintenance Building. Security should remain accessible in the same location on the lower floor of the Knorr Student Center, according to Péwé. The upper floor, containing the Old Snack Bar, closed in June. “We had to clear everybody out that was going to be in the way or too disrupted,” Péwé said. According to Péwé, the admissions office and the college bookstore will move into Knorr when renovations conclude in September 2027. “There’ll be a nice continuity between Searle events and visitors, and there’ll be a direct path from the Dow Hotel,” Péwé said. “You’ll be able to continue on into the bookstore, and then you’ll be able to go through the bookstore to the admissions office.” Péwé said he expects the first stage of the library renovation, which includes the circulation desk and front stairwell construction, to conclude in mid-to-late October. “The circulation space is totally different: there’s a higher ceiling, new wood, painted wood trim, and plaster ceilings,” Péwé said.

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Construction-era students to be honored By Elijah Guevara News Editor Hillsdale College will inscribe a low wall on the north quad with the names of the Class of 2026 and any other classes of students who experienced four years of the quad’s construction, according to College President Larry Arnn and Chief Administra-

Hillsdale admitted 20.88% of its applicants for the incoming class of 2030, according to Senior Director of Admissions Zachary Miller. The acceptance rate over the past four years has remained at around 20%. The roughly 370 students enter Hillsdale with an average 3.94 GPA and an average 31 ACT score, according to Miller. The freshman class, which is 52% female and 48% male, brought in students from 41 states as well as seven foreign countries, including China and Thailand.

“I’m really excited to see these students from across the world delight in the education we have here,” Associate Director of Admissions Benjamin Strickland said. While the acceptance rate of 20.88% remained on par with the college’s previous rates, it was not the most competitive year yet, with the class of 2029’s acceptance rate being 19.31%. The freshman yield rate fell to 58%, compared to last year’s yield rate of 61%, which indicates how many admitted students choose to enroll. “The yield rate tends to be between 57% and 61%,” Miller said. “So, it’s right in line with where we have been the last

four or five years.” Strickland said there are two key factors he’s watching for in potential students: ability and willingness. “We are able to see their grades, test scores, activities, and writing style to gauge their ability,” Strickland said. “But then we look to our interactions with them, like the interview, and what they write about and why they do the things they do and who they are for the willingness part. You can’t just be smart.” Evangeline Miller, a freshman from Arizona, said she chose Hillsdale College because of the education, family connections, and College President Larry Arnn’s insistence.

along with the names of the students. The wall will face the yet-to-be-reconstructed back entrance to Central Hall. Arnn presented visual renderings for the seat wall and plaque at the President’s Commencement Dinner on May 1, and he also announced the plans at the May 9 commencement ceremony. The plaque that will sit

will be inscribed along the entire length of the seat wall. “It is intended to be a place for students to sit and study or socialize with other students,” Péwé said in an email to The Collegian. “A professor could use it to teach a small class, and it will be a great backdrop for student activities.” With input from the College, the wall and landscap-

The wall presented by Arnn at the President’s Commencement Dinner. Courtesy | Mary Ann Powers

tive Officer Rich Péwé. “I thought up the idea of the recognition because I was proud of the students for not whining about the construction,” Arnn said in an email to The Collegian. “My hope is that the students that are recognized will be proud, come back often to sit on it, and remember not to whine in the future, too.” The wall, which will also serve as outdoor seating, will be built on the southern end of the north quad and feature an explanatory plaque,

Acceptance rate holds at around 20% for Class of 2030 By Trinity Gentry Assistant Editor

www.hillsdalecollegian.com

Vol. 150 Issue 1 – August 26, 2026

at the center of the seat wall reads: “The students named here attended Hillsdale College during the construction of this quad. Despite obstacles, the college operated beautifully during their time here. Complaints were rare. Achievements were common. The college records their names here in gratitude for their service.” Péwé said the semicircular, limestone seat wall will separate the grassy area of the north quad from surrounding walkways. Students’ names

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‘Somehow I won’: Furness beats pickleball pro By Sophia Bryant Features Editor The winner of one point in a singles match of pickleball determined the recipient

“First, because I knew the education would form me into the person God intends me to be, someone who can go and make a difference in my country,” she said. “Next, because my dad is an alumnus and told me about all the lifelong friends he made here. And lastly, Dr. Arnn told me if I didn’t come, I was stunting my intellectual growth.” What’s difficult about Hillsdale’s academic process is that it doesn’t focus on one area, but is holistic in nature, according to Zachary Miller. “I can tell you what we’re looking for is a student who is academically able but also who’s interested in learning,” Zachary Miller said. “But we also want students who are willing to contribute to the community and make it as vibrant as it has been.”

ing were designed by landscape architects from Hoerr Schaudt, which also helped plan the fire pits outside of Lane and Kendall halls. Imber Architects was also involved as the “master planner,” Péwé said. According to Péwé, the wall and walkways cannot start construction until the Central Hall addition, announced by Arnn last fall, is complete.

Furness played in the Paddletek 1-Point Challenge, a doubles tournament where teams competed for one point in a doubles match of pickleball. The challenge was

Furness and friends pose with the prize check. Courtesy | Nathan Furness

of $20,000. Senior Nathan Furness stood on the court, surrounded by crowded stands, and beat a professional pickleball player for the point and the prize. “I was like, ‘I’ll probably just lose at the singles point,’” Furness said. “I didn’t really think about it, and then somehow I won.”

a part of the Beer City Open, a large amateur pickleball tournament at Belknap Park in Grand Rapids, Michigan, July 7-12. The Edward Jones Major League Pickleball Midseason tournament is played alongside the Beer City Open, according to Furness.

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A2 August 26, 2026

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Princeton Review ranks Hillsdale radio No. 5 By Faith Miller Assistant Editor The Princeton Review ranked Hillsdale College second in the nation for the most politically conservative students, and fifth for both the best college radio station and the most engaged students in community service. Princeton Review conducts annual surveys, polling college students with questions about their own schools to rank colleges in a multitude of categories. Hillsdale also ranked sixth for most religious students and 17th for friendliest students in the rankings released earlier this month. “There are very few radio stations that do what we do, which is really concentrate on a spoken-word-formatted station,” said Scot Bertram, general manager of Hillsdale College’s WRFH Radio Free Hillsdale 101.7 FM. “Students are able to practice the art of rhetoric in the big sense, and in the small sense. They’re able to communicate and think about the way they want to present information, make arguments and be able

to speak at length, sometimes impromptu, and sometimes with little plan.” Princeton Review also included Hillsdale in the list of the best 392 colleges and the best Midwest colleges. Junior Lilly Faye Kraemer, who hosts the podcast “Story Behind the Song,” attributes the radio program’s success to the freedom students are

that,” Bertram said. “We try to make sure we’re producing outstanding content, that we’re delivering great newscasts, we’re informing the community, covering sports, providing valuable, entertaining, informative content for the community and for students.” Bertram said the students and faculty do not only work

“Students are able to practice the art of rhetoric in the big sense, and in the small sense.” given to create content. “Mr. Bertram wants us to be creative. We can’t talk about whatever we want, but he really pushes us to talk about what our interests are,” Kraemer said. “For me, it’s music, and he’s always encouraging me to talk about that.” It’s hard to predict what exactly will make a radio station rank highly in a list like this, according to Bertram. “We try to do better every year, there’s no doubt about

to boost the radio station’s placement in rankings, but want to do what they do well. Senior Sophia Mandt, news director for WRFH Radio Free Hillsdale 101.7 FM, said she believes Bertram’s leadership has played a large role in the program’s success. “He’s so passionate and dedicated to radio, and he knows so much about it,” Mandt said. “He’s so good at connecting people and encouraging them and being friendly and kind to those

who want to learn radio because it is a bit intimidating.” Another aspect of the program’s success comes from Hillsdale students’ attitudes, according to Mandt. “I think that they’re not afraid to speak their minds as much,” Mandt said. While Hillsdale moved up in its best college radio station ranking, it went from second place in 2025 to sixth place this year in most religious students. Hillsdale College Chaplain Rev. Adam Rick said he has not noticed a decline in students’ religious fervor. He attributes the college’s high rankings in religiosity to its commitment to self-governance. “When students feel like they have ownership of something, they take it more seriously,” Rick said. “Religious life and spiritual life are particular for college students — it’s the first time in their lives when they’re being asked to own that piece without their parents making them go to church.”

Longtime provost assistant dies at 79 By Elijah Guevara News Editor Nancy Ryan, a longtime executive assistant to the Hillsdale College provost, died July 24 at age 79 at Henry Ford Jackson Hospital. “She possessed a remarkable mix of traits, and an unusual measure of goodness and humanity,” former Provost Bob Blackstock said in an email to The Collegian. “She was thoughtful and serious when circumstances required, and she could brighten a room with fun and laughter moments later when the crisis had passed.” Ryan worked in the provost’s office for 24 years before retiring in 2005. After her retirement, Ryan would come back to work part time in the college president’s office whenever there was need, according to College President Larry Arnn. “Nancy was a bright spark. She had a tremendous sense of humor,” Arnn said in an email to The Collegian. “She was very efficient as an office manager, but she brought fun to everyone around her. After she retired as the longtime secretary to the provost, she would fill in in my office when someone was absent. One was always glad to see her. She is greatly missed.” Nancy Mary McHugh was born in Detroit and graduated from St. Mary of Redford High School in that city, according to the obituary published by Eagle Funeral Homes. She married her high school sweetheart, Marty Ryan, in 1970 at St. Mary of Redford Catholic Church in Detroit, and they were married for 56 years. Ryan worked as a legal secretary in both Detroit and Hillsdale before attending and graduating from Hillsdale College. After she graduated, Ryan then went on to serve as an executive assistant to the provost. Ryan was a member of St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church, Hillsdale Woman’s Club, and was a former board member of Hillsdale County Right to Life, Hillsdale Chapter of the Legal

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Renderings of the wall to be constructed on the north quad. Courtesy | Mary Ann Powers

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The Grewcock Student Union underwent many repairs over the summer, and the Formal Lounge and Raese Room have reopened. Notably, the space was recovered after the flood that closed the building for a day in January. “The Formal Lounge has been restored from the flood and the Raese room, which is your conference space, got new carpet, new paint, new walls, and a new ceiling,” Péwé said. The front doors of the Student Union remain closed, but Péwé expects them to reopen in mid-October. “By October, the portico will be done,” Péwé said. “There are spaces underneath the arcades. They’re little nich-

es, and you can have student groups and study areas.” The front doors of Christ Chapel, which Péwé said closed right after commencement, will reopen around the same time as the front doors to the union, revealing a small cement walkway between the front doors of both buildings. However, the second stage of the library construction, including the doors to the quad and a new upper floor with more study spaces, will continue into December 2027, Péwé said. The opening of the classical education building freed up other desirable offices for junior faculty, creating a cascade of office moves between dozens of faculty members, VanOrman said. “Education happened to be in one of the prime locations.

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Third floor Lane had really nice offices,” VanOrman said. “I put an email out, and I said, ‘If you are interested in moving offices, please let me know, and I’ll put you on a list to do that.’ I ended up having 57 office moves all together.” As a result, VanOrman had to expedite the moving process, skipping standard repairs. “There’s no way that I could have maintenance do that many moves in a summer. If an office needed major work like painting or needed holes repaired, you had to move in as is, and then you could put a work order in,” VanOrman said. “When maintenance has time, they’ll come around and do that. I also limited how much time faculty had to move.” Professor of Mathematics and Dean of Faculty Thomas

Treloar moved into Spencer and said he is pleased with the new space, but skeptical about the lack of white or chalkboards. “I am teaching in Spencer 218, which is the most beautiful classroom on campus and also has the best view from any classroom on campus,” Treloar said. “That said, it also doesn’t have boards, chalk or white.” While construction can be hard on students, Péwé said he is considering showing students the progress behind the fences to yield a better understanding of what is in store. “I would like to give some peeks of the progress so that it will encourage the students,” Péwé said. “I think we could do some things in a very organized fashion.”

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Because Hillsdale College has not yet fully secured funds for the addition — funds that could amount to $28 million, according to early schematic estimates, Péwé said — the College has not set a start date for the Central Hall construction. Once Hillsdale has funding and a start date for the Central Hall addition, the project will take 28 months to complete. Only after then will construction on the seat wall, plaque, and walkways begin. Construction on campus has been ongoing since the spring of 2024, including projects such as the Diana Davis Spencer Graduate School of Classical Education Building, renovations to the Grewcock Student Union, and additions to the Michael Alex Mossey Library. Vice President for Student Affairs Diane Philipp said the seat wall is intended to be both beautiful and meaningful for students. “Dr. Arnn’s hope is that this seating area reflects the importance of the central space where it is located as well as the students who patiently endured the quad’s transformation,” Philipp said. “The college hopes this area continues as a gathering place for the students to sit, visit, study, play, celebrate, and

Secretaries Association, and Bailey School Parent Teacher Organization, according to the obituary. She was an avid reader who wrote a bimonthly book review column for Simply Hers magazine. She is survived by her husband, Marty Ryan; her two sons, Patrick and Daniel Ryan; and three grandsons, Owen, Chase, and Blake Ryan. She is also survived by one sister, Joanne Mackler; and a nephew and niece, Bart and Ramona Mackler. “I’m not sure how you combine a bit of Irish temper, sharp sense of humor, love of fun, and consummate professionalism, but she did,” said former Provost David Whalen, who as the associate provost worked with Ryan for about a year until her retirement. “She was extremely effective in her work and made the rest of us more effective in ours, all the while maintaining a spirited office. After her retirement, it was always a joy to see her at college events. I know it is a cliché, but it’s true: I will miss her.” Blackstock said she was excellent in her work. “The office of the provost is full of important and thorny issues and calls for constant discretion, a veritable fog of worry,” Blackstock said. “Nancy was suited to that particular burden, and yet could lighten the mood in an instant.” Ryan’s decency and goodness were among the fine qualities that made her such a joy to work with, according to Blackstock. “She loved people and would do anything for anyone. She was blessed with an energetic spirit and an unerring moral compass that allowed her to project joy wherever she went. She was no doubt aided in this by her unwavering faith,” Blackstock said. “It was a singular blessing to work closely with Nancy all those years, and to be inspired by her joyful embrace of life.”

make memories together.” Senior Violet Hubartt said she appreciated the thoughtfulness behind the seat wall. “I think it’s very kind that they are using some of those resources that went into construction when we were here into something that we can come back and see later,” Hubartt said. “I’ve always been kind of sad that we haven’t gotten to have the experience of the quad, but I do see the vision, and I’m excited about it.” Junior Maddox Lawrence said he is looking forward to the seat wall because it is both practical and something he can return to in the future. “I think it really works for people who don’t like to sit on grass or want to study but still want to be outside,” Lawrence said. “Also, we’re not going to get a quad our entire time here, so it’s nice to have a keepsake of getting to be in the quad, even if we never got to actually be on it.” Philipp said she hopes the wall will serve as a reminder for future students. “We hope future students will see the names of our current students and understand that the engraved stone wall is a tribute to the students who have lived through and helped shape this chapter in Hillsdale’s history,” Philipp said.

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Opinions A3 August 26, 2026

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The Collegian Weekly

The opinion of the Collegian editorial staff (517) 607-2415

This is it, seniors. Savor it like a freshman. Seniors think they have the college system down pat. They know which professors to take for the core and what not to order at AJ’s. They have friendships, clubs, and habits that haven’t changed for a while. But the perfect, solidified routine may lead to regret as seniors walk across the stage next spring. While we encourage you to enjoy your favorite college pastimes, the last year in college can also be about trying new things. To start, take a class outside of the core and your major. Get uncomfortable. Force yourself to think differently. If you’re an English student, take a trip to the dark side and try out

a history course, and if you’re a physics student, go brave a philosophy class. It’s an opportunity to make more friends across campus, grow in a subject you have less experience in,

and get to know a professor from a different department. It could be the best class you’ve ever taken at Hillsdale.

Then, grab lunch with someone new: the freshman sitting a row in front of you, the friend of a friend, or the leader of a club you admire. The friends you found during the underclassmen years don’t have to make you complacent in pursuing new friendships. Finally, balance getting out of your comfort zone with investing more time in your favorite parts of college life. Whether it’s classes, friendships, hobbies, or a local church, seniors should consid-

er what they might miss most post-grad. You can certainly participate in all of these things, but not all of them well because there’s only so much time in a day. Focus on what you can’t get back after graduation. As we’re counting down our days to the end, remember that each one is an opportunity to try something new, something us old geezers can learn from the freshmen. You have one last year to be in college. Savor it. Illustrated by Maggie O’Connor

The image of the Creator is in the Middle East, too By Daniel Johnson Assistant Editor The joyful dancing of Israeli men swirled behind me. Fervent prayers in thick, passionate Hebrew resounded around me amid a sea of furry shtreimel hats on every side. As I stood at the Western Wall of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem — otherwise known as the Wailing Wall — I was struck by the harmony of the worshippers around me, both with their fellow Jews at the wall and with the Muslims worshipping in the mosque just behind it. During my trip to Israel this June with Hillsdale students and other young journalists, I saw Jews, Christians and Muslims worshipping freely — and peacefully — in the same place. In the Old City of Jerusalem, Al Aqsa Mosque sits right next to the Western Wall, both only a few blocks from the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

This peaceful concord of three divergent religions is only possible insofar as Israel recognizes the reality of inherent human worth. The conflict that perpetually surrounds Israel is inseparable from the battle of ideas — of what it means to be human and how we should live together on this earth. However, the battle for ideas should not be equated with the battle between people groups. Westerners may take the idea of human dignity for granted. But in the Middle East, it’s a novelty. Just outside Israel in Gaza, Islamism, the branch of Islam that Hamas adheres to, reigns supreme with the goal, stated in its charter, of imposing Sharia law wherever it can while killing all Jews. This was the point of the Oct. 7, 2023, massacre, where, as survivors like 27-year-old Shalev Biton explained to us, Hamas militants crossed into Israel and murdered more than 1,200 of his Israeli neighbors.

Gazans have suffered immensely as well. Thousands of Gazans have died in the Israeli military offensive that ensued in the wake of Oct. 7, often as human shields put in harm’s way by Hamas. While Israel has undoubtedly done wrong in the midst of the conflict, the root of the problem is how Islamism conceives of what it means to be human. As its charter attests, Hamas, and the Islamist philosophy it represents, denies the worth of the individual; instead, it conceives of human worth in terms of groups: are they for Allah or against Allah? As opposed to loving God and one’s neighbor, the calling of mankind in the Judeo-Christian tradition, sacrificing for Allah is the best thing an Islamist can do — even if that means using civilians as human shields. Israel, even as a mostly secular country, retains a general belief in the dignity and sanctity

The Collegian’s AI policy By Ellie Fromm Editor In Chief Many professors have developed their own artificial intelligence policies; last semester, The Collegian did the same. Editors gathered in the newspaper office and debated AI. The Collegian is a student-run paper, and as such, students wrote the policy with some advice from our journalism faculty. Our policy is as follows: 1. Do not let artificial intelligence write for you. This includes composition and revision. The Collegian teaches students to write and edit their own work. It also promises its readers that our articles are written by people. 2. You may use AI tools that highlight errors, including misspellings, improper punctuation, or subject-verb disagreement. You may use AI as a dictionary and a thesaurus. 3. You may use AI for research, such as the discovery or review of sources and documents. AI operates well as a high-powered search engine. Do not cite an AI-generated answer as a source. Sometimes AI is wrong. Check the source it cites. Our policy treats AI as a tool. The writing in our paper

is still human writing, but everyone needs help to find just the right word sometimes. You can whip out the college thesaurus your mom made you take to college, or you can ask AI. Either is fine with us. Use AI to find buried documents and information. But check those documents and read them for the needed information, because AI is just a high-powered search engine. We don’t fall for the fallacy that AI is still the human’s thoughts simply compiled by a computer.To write is to think; therefore one necessitates the other. Writing is important because it allows information sharing, which is what AI does, but it is more important because it forces thought. This is the human aspect. Using AI to write also removes the potential for growth from reporters and editors alike. Pope Leo XIV wrote in his May encyclical that, “For an algorithm, an error is a flaw to be corrected; for a person, however, an error can be a catalyst for profound change.” We’ll gladly take a human-written B+ article over an AI-generated A article because it provides the opportunity for growth for writers and editors alike. Our commitment to our readers is that our newspaper is written by humans, not AI generated. Your fellow

students sourced, wrote, and edited the articles in The Collegian. New York Times Columnist Bret Stephens explained the significance of the written word over the spoken word in his plea to never use AI to write, ever. Writing “compels us to subject our thinking to the effort of articulation, the rigor of grammar, the tests of intelligibility and coherence, the inspection of others. In doing so, it also enjoins us to be clear, logical, accurate — and accountable.” There is a reason our exams are in blue books. Subjecting thought to literary rules and getting it down on paper, or a Google Doc, forces thinking. This is why a written word often carries more significance than a spoken one. It is easy to say something offhandedly, but written things require thought. As such, we are held to a higher standard for written works than we are for spoken words. People still need to develop the skills of thinking, writing, and editing without the crutch of AI. These skills may become more valuable as AI use increases and becomes a permanent part of doing business. But it is not how we do business. Ellie Fromm is a senior studying history.

of individual people. However, it would be equally foolish to reflexively condemn or applaud one group of people as it would be to ignore their ideas. As the Soviet dissident Aleksandr S olzhenitsyn wrote, “The line between good and evil passes not between states, nor through classes, nor between political parties either — but right through every human heart — and through all human hearts.” In the spirit of Solzhenitsyn, we would be wise to resist the temptation to generalize, equating one people group with evil, ignoring their humanity. Just as importantly, we must call out ideologies like Islamism that succumb to that same temptation and deny the humanity of a group of people, equating them with the evil of the world. It’s easy to scapegoat and hard to take responsibility for

our words, resisting generalizations and speaking carefully. But as Americans, we cannot abdicate this responsibility because, like it or not, the fate of our own country is deeply intertwined with Israel as a fellow democracy built on the same vision of human dignity. Furthermore, if you’re a Christian, you’re called to love your neighbor both in word and deed. Good citizens and Christians alike should be ruthless with ideas and gentle with people. Bad ideas like Islamism should be fought because they destroy people, while even the people fully committed to those bad ideas must be treated with all the dignity and respect that becomes an image-bearer of God. During my trip, I heard both Israelis and Palestinians express a deep desire for peace — a lasting, holistic peace, what the Israelis call “shalom.” In line with

Solzhenitsyn’s thinking, this peace can only be achieved when each person recognizes and repents of the evil in his own heart, instead of simply scapegoating it on someone else. If those of us in the West want to make a difference for said peace, we must take this kind of responsibility for our own words. We must be ruthless with the ideas that cause suffering and gentle with the people who are suffering, resisting generalizations and speaking with compassion and clarity. And remember that both Israeli and Palestinians bear the image of their Creator. Daniel Johnson is a junior studying philosophy and theology.

City News A4 August 26, 2026

Ranger Power files suit over solar project By Alessia Sandala Managing Editor

At the time of publication, the state to permit renewable township, the appropriate place attorneys for Heartwood Solar energy projects against the rec- to appeal is the MPSC, based on II could not be reached for ommendation of local govern- the law,” Wortz said. Ranger Power’s Heartwood comment. ments. Other local communities are Solar II filed a lawsuit July 13 “What do we have to do While Fayette Township also looking to adopt CREOs against Fayette Township and its to overcome this?” said Steve has a CREO in place, it does in an attempt to restrict solar planning commission for deny- Oleszkowicz, a Fayette Townnot prevent solar projects from projects such as Heartwood II. ing the LLC permission to build ship resident who opposes the being built, according to Olesz“North Adams had a public a solar energy project, which project through his group No kowicz. hearing on it, and they made faced local opposition. Solar Fayette. “It’s really a death “The entire purpose and some revisions to the CREO,” The township approved Oleszkowicz said. “Then Ranger Power’s first they voted and did adopt project, Heartwood Solar it with the revisions. I, in 2022, but rejected Although they didn’t have a second installation in a final draft of it at that June, which proposed to time, they were fully input solar panels on more tending to work through than 1,380 acres in Hillsthat process and adopt it.” dale County. Wortz said a CREO is The Collegian previthe first step local officials ously reported a potential can take to avoid large third phase, Heartwood plots of farmland being III, that would span more used for renewable energy than 2,000 acres if approjects. proved in addition to the “You need to be profirst two projects. active instead of reactive,” Fayette Township Wortz said. “I think that’s adopted a Compatible part of the situation that Renewable Energy OrdiFayette Township is in nance in April, which alhere.” lows the township board Solar panels from the Heartwood I solar farm west of Jonesville. Ranger Power has to limit the construction Ethan Savka | Collegian been disingenuous about of renewable energy its intentions in Fayette projects, but, according to the by a thousand cuts if we just point of having a CREO is it Township, according to Wortz. lawsuit, the project meets all of continue to fight all of these bat- forces these companies to come “Ultimately, the thing here the CREO’s stipulations. tles locally, and we need to find to the table locally first, and is that Ranger Power has said Ranger Power claims the a better structure and a better then once they go through that they want to be good neighbors township was required to apmethod to fight this all the way process, approved or denied, and they don’t want to go where prove the permits if it found the up the ranks.” then there’s an appeal process of they’re not wanted,” Wortz said. project to be in accordance with Oleszkowicz said depending the state of Michigan,” Oleszko- “That was something they told the CREO. on the outcome of the lawsuit, wicz said. me in that meeting I had, and According to the lawsuit, Ranger Power may still appeal State Rep. Jennifer Wortz, so I think that’s the part that’s Fayette Township officials and to the Michigan Public Service who represents Fayette Town- the most disappointing here. consultants reviewed the plans Commission, an agency that ship, said Ranger Power should To most people that feels very for Heartwood Solar II and regulates energy and utilities in not have filed a lawsuit because much like lip service.” found them to be in accordance the state, to bypass the township Heartwood II was denied at the with all zoning ordinances and board’s decision using Public local level. the CREO, but the township Act 233. The 2023 law, signed by “If they don’t like the interdenied the permits anyway. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, allows action or the response from the

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St. Joe’s to reopen in new location By Henry Fliflet Assistant Editor After nearly two years at the corner of Broad and North streets, St. Joe’s Café closed its doors July 25 as it expands its menu and moves to a new downtown location, with plans to reopen in early 2027, according to co-owner Hannah Mincio. “We’re having a bit of a glow up,” Mincio said. St. Joe’s, a European-style pizzeria, opened in October 2024 at 92 N. Broad St. Hannah and Joshua Mincio told The Collegian in 2024 they opened the restaurant in the hopes of bringing people from the community together through food. St. Joe’s owners announced via Instagram over the summer that they would be relocating, though they have not announced their new location. The move will give the business an opportunity to grow in a new space while remaining close to its former location, with plans to expand its menu beyond pizza with dishes like steak and pasta, according to Mincio. “We did pizza. We knew how to do pizza, and then we realized there was just such a demand for more here in Hillsdale,” Mincio said. “We’re going to bring our families’ culinary traditions into the restaurant and try to share it with other people.”

While they are in between buildings, Mincio said that they hope to start serving togo pizza once they get their kitchen running in the new building. While the move hasn’t been easy, Mincio said that opening the restaurant in 2024 taught her skills that have made this move go more smoothly. “Once you do it once, it’s infinitely easier the second time,” Mincio said. Sophomore Cayden Gibello said St. Joe’s was his go-to spot for off-campus dining. “St. Joe’s is an icon around here,” Gibello said. “Every time their pizza is in Saga, the line is out the door.” Metz Culinary Management began serving St. Joe’s Detroit-style lunch pizza a few times a semester in the dining hall for lunch in October 2025. “It will be an exciting new chapter for the city when they reopen,” sophomore Jordan Nelson said. “Their quality service has made them a standout member of the Hillsdale community.” As the Mincios gear up for their reopening in the spring, they said they are eager to take St. Joe’s to the next level. “We’re super excited to be in a new space,” Mincio said. “We’re super excited to expand the menu. It’s a lot of fun stuff.”

City reschedules Oak and South streets resurfacing for September By Gemma Flores City News Editor The resurfacing of Oak and South streets is scheduled to begin Sept. 14, according to City Manager David Mackie, after residents rejected a more expensive repair plan earlier this year. Homeowners overturned the city’s attempt in February to use special assessment districts to fund the repairs of these streets. SADs designate run-down roads for repair, charging residents on the road up to $5,000 per parcel, with an additional $1,200 to $1,500 in interest for those opting for a payment plan. The rejection of the proposed assessment left the city unsure of how to fund the proposed road repairs. As a solution to the dispute, the city decided to

move forward with surface-level repairs rather than doing a full reconstruction. Mackie announced at the May 4 city council meeting that Excel Paving Plus of Coldwater would handle the repaving, which would begin the second week of August. Due to a backlog of projects, the start date was pushed back. “We’re waiting in the queue for other projects to finish up,” Mackie said at the Aug. 7 meeting. While the original plan was to complete the streets one at a time, Ward 3 Councilman and mayoral candidate Bob Flynn told The Collegian the roads would be completed together, in the hopes of reducing the construction time. “We were supposed to have Oak Street done about

now, and then South Street afterward,” Flynn said. “Because some of the projects ahead of ours got backed up for whatever reason, they just decided ‘we’ll just have the crews come in, and we’ll do both streets at once.’” Excel Paving Plus plans to bring in extra crews and

Oak and South is very disappointing, and we all can only point the finger at ourselves,” Bentley said. “The engineer warned us when he got here in October; we talked about it in January. We dawdled. Staff took an extra month after special assessment districts fell apart, and now

“We’re waiting in the queue for other projects to finish up” machinery to get the projects done more efficiently, according to Flynn. Ward 2 Councilman and mayoral candidate Matthew Bentley expressed frustration with the city for the construction delay. “The September start for

we’re going to be solidly in the school year, and that is unfortunate.” Jill Hardway ’89, who organized the Oak Street petition to defeat the proposed SAD and is now running for city council in Ward 1, told The Collegian that she

feels the city mishandled the construction. “We were assured that crews would begin on Oak Street during the second week of August with the explicit goal of having our local street projects completed by the end of summer,” Hardway said. “Hearing that the completion date has been pushed back to the end of September, it’s pretty frustrating.” According to Hardway, the change will be especially difficult due to school being back in session. “It is disappointing, especially because we have so much school traffic for Hillsdale Academy, and all of the traffic coming from the opposite side of town,” Hardway said. While she’s unhappy with the delay, Hardway said she

and other citizens are counting on the city’s repairs to be done promptly. “We’re hopeful that they can get this completed as quickly as possible,” Hardway said. “Maybe it wasn’t a realistic goal to start with; I’m not sure.” Flynn said that he is “cautiously optimistic” about the future of road funding in Hillsdale, even with the anti-SAD sentiment. “I’m hoping that we can continue to chip away,” Flynn said. “It’s a problem that started 40, 50 years ago, and nobody really planned for it back then. And now we’re the council that is stuck trying to fix it.”

New Distillery brings local wines, whiskeys, bourbons to Hillsdale By Ethan Savka Assistant Editor

A local wine and whiskey maker opened a new distillery in Hillsdale over the summer. Michael Lennox started Lennox Distillery, located at 181 Uran St., July 1. Open Wednesday through Saturday, the distillery lists 41 alcoholic beverages on its website. Shots excluded, the beverages are priced between $6 and $12. “I grew up in Hillsdale and have lived in the area all my life,” Lennox said, adding that he began making wines and whiskeys in the last decade. After graduating from Hillsdale High School in 1991, Lennox worked var-

ious jobs, from cattle and crop farming to working as a corrections officer, all while cultivating his hobby of distilling custom alcoholic beverages. “I started making wines and whiskeys, and a friend of mine who was a distributor down in Kentucky told me I needed to get them on the market,” Lennox said. “All the people I was selling to prior to having the distillery all encouraged me to do it.” Lennox said he hopes to benefit the Hillsdale community and continue to build on the reputation of his products, which include unique flavors like honey whiskey and pomegranate wine. “I want to get it going

and leave a legacy for my family with the products,” he said. “I really have a passion for it.” Lennox’s friend Dustin Flowers said Lennox has the skills to take the distillery far. “Several years ago, Michael and I were making some wine at my house, and he told me, ‘You know, I think I could make a business out of this,’” Flowers said. “Michael is a pretty intelligent, highly motivated person. I knew if he wanted to make a go of it, he would be pretty successful.” Flowers said his favorite of Lennox’s is the pomegranate wine. Matt Sigler, who worked as a corrections officer

with Lennox, said part of the inspiration behind the distillery was Lennox’s honey whiskey, made with honey from Lennox’s own honey bees. “He was looking at different ways to make whiskey. It just kind of evolved into the thought that honey whiskey would taste real smooth,” Sigler said. “Between people and friends at work, it got around. The girls went nuts over it. We have a little euchre club, and I brought it to that. The wife of the host loved it. That winter, I took some down to Florida at this resort, and the next thing you know, I never got to have any because everyone loved it.” James Brandon, a Hills-

dale theatre professor, visited the distillery and said he came away pleased. “I didn’t know what to expect,” he said. “I’m more of a wine and a beer guy. I like going to wineries and tasting rooms. I really liked the bourbon I had. I was able to sample the house bourbon that they distill, and it was very good. I know one of my colleagues had the rye, and I think he liked it. And I had one of their cocktails, which I liked.” The distillery also has more to offer than drinks. “They had a charcuterie board, which was great,” Brandon said. “I was not expecting anything by way of that. You never know with a bar or tasting

room what you’re going to get. They had fresh pretzels that they baked and fruits. Actually the kind of charcuterie I hope for at a good winery and don’t often get. So that was nice. The atmosphere was nice. They had music playing. I think it was definitely like the 70s vibe there, but it was this kind of fun, easy listening music.” For Hillsdale residents, Lennox has a simple message. “I always say I put the smooth in whiskey,” he said. “When you bite into a ripe green apple and get that fresh taste, that’s what I try to do with my whiskies.”

Chargers break the huddle after fall practice .

Courtesy | Hillsdale Athletic Department

C harger S ports

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A5 August 26, 2026

Football

Volleyball

Expectations are high

Chargers visit Brazil for preseason training

By Robert Matteson Sports Editor

team All-American in 2025, as the top return specialist in the nation. Ruddy returned three kickoffs for touchdowns. “Shea Ruddy is the headliner and the big name,” Shreffler said. “He has been the guy the last couple years that has made a lot of plays for us on offense.” D2football.com named Vance, who led the Chargers in tackles in each of the last three seasons, and Ruddy, to its annual preseason Elite 100 Watch List. “Jacob Vance is a returning captain, and he’s a guy that makes everything go over there on defense,” Shreffler said. “He is a pretty vocal guy, and he backs it up with his work, his tenacity and how he approaches the game.” The Chargers return more than 80 players and are adding 25 freshmen, compared to 27 in last year’s freshman class. Shreffler said that the experience his team is returning will play a huge role this season. “It’s huge with the schemes and everything,” Shreffler said. “They also know what it takes physically and mentally to prepare for each contest that we have, and I think the leadership that these men give to the younger guys imparts the knowledge and the culture that we have in the locker room. Having these older guys is like having an extra set of coaches.” Vance said on the defensive side of the ball, the focus is creating turnovers this season. “The expectation is to create as many turnovers as possible every week,” he said. “It takes 11 players to make a good defense, so everyone needs to do their job and not try to do too much.” The G-MAC coaches picked the Chargers to finish fifth in the preseason coaches poll. The Chargers begin play Sept. 5 at home against McKendree University.

By Patrick Matteson Assistant Editor

university a natural fit for the conference. “The University of Indianapolis is one of the most respected institutions in NCAA Division II, both academically and athletically. UIndy’s addition immediately enhances the strength and visibility of the G-MAC,” she said. “We weren't simply looking to add another institution; rather, we were looking for a partner that strengthens our conference for the long term, and UIndy checked every box.” Tharp said the support for UIndy’s addition was highly supported among athletic directors. “The commissioner of our

league, Tom Daeger, did an amazing job, and conversations were had by the athletic directors about, ‘do we think this is a good fit or not?’” Tharp said. “And almost unanimously, we all felt that it was a good thing for the G-MAC now and in the future.” Following the 2025-26 athletic season, UIndy earned the GLVC AllSports Trophy, the school’s 14th

The Hillsdale Chargers return its top performers from a year ago, as the team seeks its first Great Midwest Athletic Conference football championship since 2018. “Our expectation is to win a conference championship, and I truly believe we have the pieces this year to do it,” fifth-year linebacker Jacob Vance said. Hillsdale ended the 2025 season with a 6-6 record. The Chargers went 5-4 in G-MAC play and concluded the campaign with a loss in the Albanese Candy Bowl Dec. 6, 2025. On offense, the Chargers return senior quarterback Colin McKernan, the leading passer from last season, and sophomore running back Ben Ngishu, the leading rusher. McKernan played in all 12 games and threw for 2,068 yards and 19 touchdowns. He also added 401 yards on the ground and six rushing touchdowns. Ngishu ran for 794 yards and five touchdowns. “This is definitely the most excited I’ve been for our offense in my time here,” McKernan said. “We have some great returning players and leaders in all positions, and that is so important if you want to win a championship, which is our ultimate goal.” The Chargers also return their four leading receivers from the 2025 campaign, who combined for 20 of the team’s 22 total receiving touchdowns. Senior wide receiver Shea Ruddy led the group with 695 yards and seven touchdowns. Juniors Tutt Carrico and Ryan Skura and senior Andrew Konieczny also return. “Our skill group with wide receivers and running backs are as good as I can remember in the last few years,” head coach Nate Shreffler said. The Division II Conference Commissioners Association named Ruddy a first

UIndy from A1 Jessica Harbison Weaver, deputy commissioner of the G-MAC, seconded the geographical impact. “[UIndy’s] location creates a more geographically connected conference,” she said. “That benefits our student-athletes by reducing travel, enhances regional rivalries, and provides a stronger foundation for the conference's continued growth and national profile.” Harbison Weaver said UIndy’s combination of academic and athletic success made the

Despite the changeover, Hillsdale was picked to finish first in the North Division in the 2026 G-MAC Coaches Preseason Poll. Chloe Pierce returns for a fifth year after playing in all 26 matches last year and leading the team in digs and aces. Juniors Jenna Southland and Caroline Lanicek were second and third in total points last year, and are also slated to re-

as a senior and earned two American Volleyball Coaches Association All-Midwest Region honors and two GLIAC Libero of the Year awards. “Coach Barrett is someone that we’ve wanted on staff since her graduation,” Gravel said. “We’re certainly very excited to have her back, and the team loves her.” For Barrett, returning to Hillsdale after serving as the

involved with the program for 25 years, most recently as an assistant coach from 2019-2021. She also works as Hillsdale’s Associate Dean of Women. At the end of July, the Chargers traveled to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The team played against three Brazilian teams, including one that Kennedy described as the country’s future Olympic team. Hillsdale also hosted a volleyball clinic for local teenagers. For Kennedy, the trip was more than just preparation for another season. “The Braz i l t r ip is definitely the highlight of my career,” she said. “Getting to share the joy of volleyball and connect with the kids regardless of the language barrier was so eye-opening and fulfilling.” Hillsdale opens the season with nonconference matchups Aug. 28 at the Wayne State Warrior Invitational in Detroit. The team will face Indiana University of Pennsylvania and Wayne State University before playing Quincy University on Aug. 29. G-MAC conference play will begin Sept. 11 at Cedarville University, the defending South Division champion. “In the conference, we just have a lot of teams that have been doing really well,” Gravel said. “There is a lot of competition throughout the year, so there's no time to take a week off. We have to be sharp every week.”

consecutive honor, which recognizes the conference’s top athletic department. The Greyhounds also won eight

GLVC championships with an additional three GLVC regular-season titles. UIndy sent 19 programs to their respective postseasons, including a Division II College World Series appearance for baseball. “They’ve been a top 10 program from an athletic perspective at the Division II level, and that is an invaluable type of addition to your league,” Tharp said.

The move is the G-MAC’s first membership addition since Northwood University and Thomas More University joined the conference in 2022. For Hillsdale, the addition means a new conference opponent across every varsity sport except men’s tennis. “UIndy is talented in different sports, and so like anything else, we talk about ‘strength rejoicing in the challenge.’ It is going to be a challenge for us, and that's what we'll rejoice in,” Tharp said. “We’ll strive to be the best version of ourselves, and to compete at the very highest level that we can against UIndy.”

The Hillsdale volleyball team added six freshmen, two assistant coaches, and traveled to Brazil over the summer in preparation for the 2026 season. The Chargers finished the 2025 season with a 14-12 record. Hillsdale was 11-4 in Great Midwest Athletic Conference play, and f inished the regular season f if t h in the conference. “This season started the minute after the loss of that last match of last s e a s on ,” h e a d coach C h r i s Gravel s ai d. “From t h a t time, this group has been working, Volleyball shares gifts with youth after practice in Brazil. trying to Courtesy | Hillsdale College Volleyball Instagram find ways to be the absolute best, to rep- turn. Southland led the team head volleyball coach at her resent not just us as a program, in blocks and Lanicek ranked alma mater, Jonesville High but us as a college. ” third. School, has provided an opSenior middle hitter Molly “On this team, it doesn’t portunity to give back to the Kennedy said the team’s early matter whether you’re a fresh- program that shaped her playworkouts have reflected that man or a senior,” Gravel said. ing and coaching career. commitment. “The ones that are having the “Returning to Hillsdale has “In the workouts we have had most success in practice are been incredibly special,” Barso far, the level of play has been the ones that are going to rep- rett said. “I’m looking forward super high, and everyone is ex- resent us on the court, and so to giving back to the college, hibiting a higher level of buy-in the freshmen are going to have the team, and Coach Gravel, as this year so we can get to that their opportunities.” they have all invested so much point and meet the goals we have Hillsdale also added former in me, and I am grateful for the established for the year,” she said. Charger Sydney (Dow) Barrett opportunity to help create the Hillsdale graduated three ’10 as an assistant coach this same kind of experience for seniors — Josie TeSlaa, Adi offseason. Barrett, who played this next generation of HillsSysum and Emory Braswell — libero, ranks fourth in pro- dale volleyball players.” each of whom played large roles gram history with 1,802 caHillsdale also brings back throughout their careers. The reer digs. She was a first-team Stephanie Gravel, wife of head team adds six freshmen to the All-Great Lakes Intercollegiate coach Gravel, as a volunteer roster. Athletic Conference selection assistant coach. She has been

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A6 August 26, 2026

Sports

Baseball

Athletic Department

Former Charger traded to Tigers

Alumnus back after stint as Javelina By Robert Matteson Sports Editor Hillsdale College alumnus and former Collegian sports editor Christian Peck-Dimit ’23 returned to Hillsdale this summer as the marketing and game day experience manager. “I had a fantastic four years here as a student, and there were a lot of players, coaches and administrators who had a great impact on me,” Peck-Dimit said. “When I was presented with this opportunity to have some positive impacts on other people in this role, it was an opportunity I was never going to pass up.” Peck-Dimit grew up in Northville, Michigan, a diehard Detroit sports fan. As a student, he studied history and journalism, served as the sports editor for the Collegian from 2021-2022, and worked with the athletic department, Radio Free Hillsdale and the local radio station WCSR doing sports play-by-play. Peck-Dimit comes to Hillsdale from Texas A&M University-Kingsville where he was the assistant director of athletic communications for the Javelinas. While he didn’t expect to be able to work in sports professionally, Peck-Dimit said he has

always had a love for sports and enjoys working with “all sports, all the time.” “I think every kid grows up and has that dream of being a professional athlete,” Peck-Dimit said. “You want to start in left field on Sundays for the Tigers, or you want to be standing next to Jared Goff on a Sunday. By no means am I anywhere near that athletically, but I’ve always had a love for sports and athletics.” Peck-Dimit said one of his favorite memories as a student was traveling to Evansville, Indiana, to cover the Chargers men’s basketball team’s Elite 8 game during the 2021-2022 season. Peck-Dimit did play-by-play on the radio for the game. “That’s the only time we’ve done a road game,” said Scot Bertram, general manager at Radio Free Hillsdale. “Playoff-type atmospheres for college games are really tough to replicate, they’re one of a kind type experiences. I was really happy the guys wanted to do that, really glad we were able to make it happen, and I remember listening to them call that game on the radio station. It was fun.” Fellow journalism alumnus Luke Morey ’22 served as Peck-Dimit’s assistant sports editor and also traveled to Evansville to cover the Elite 8. Morey

said covering the game was their first time experiencing real-world sports reporting. “That was the first chance where I really got to have boots on the ground and see what true sports reporting looked like compared to reporting on a college campus,” Morey said. “That was something we talked about a lot, just because it was our first chance to really see what it truly looked like out in the real world.” Upon graduation, Peck-Dimit worked at Northwest Kansas Radio. After one year, he moved to Texas. In Kingsville, Peck-Dimit was responsible for managing social media accounts, broadcasts, game days, statistics, and the website. “It was very rewarding to see in real time the impact I had on athletes, coaches, and teams, and I realized pretty quickly in my time in Kingsville that this job, or something like it in the [sports] world, was something that I want to do for a long time,” Peck-Dimit said. In his new role, Peck-Dimit is responsible for marketing and promoting Hillsdale athletic events, games, athletes, and coaches. “I make sure that the game day experience is a good one, it is entertaining for fans, and runs smoothly for teams, players, and

Courtesy | Hillsdale Athletic Department

coaches,” Peck-Dimit said. “We have some wonderful teams here, some great players and coaches, and we want to make sure that there are full stands, which is obviously what they deserve.” One event Peck-Dimit said he is excited for is “community day” on Sept. 26. Both the Charger football and volleyball teams play at home and free tickets will be given to any fans in the community who come to the games. “He’s going to have a great base of knowledge to make sure fans have a good time, and also make sure that the community is aware of what’s going on,” Bertram said. “My only regret is he won’t be calling games. He’ll be too busy on game days.”

Cross Country

Former coach returns after 10 years away By Lucy Billings Assistant Editor The new head coach of the cross country team is a familiar face: Joseph Lynn. The former assistant coach is back after a decade away from Hillsdale College. “The opportunity for me to come back home was really appealing,” said Lynn, who coached the team for three seasons, from 2014 to 2016. He succeeds R.P. White, who stepped down from the role after 10 years. White led the 2024 Charger men’s cross country team to the first conference championship victory in 24 years, the first win as a member of the G-MAC. White was named Coach of the Year that season. The women’s distance track team under White’s direction also contributed to the women’s track and field conference championship win May 2026. During his absence, Lynn

has worked as a cross country and track coach for Miami University in Ohio and the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, where his athletes earned NCAA qualifications, All-American honors, and conference championships at the Division I level. “The student athletes we get at Hillsdale, the type of people they are, their work ethic, and their focus, is really appealing to me as a coach,” Lynn said. Last season, the women's cross country team finished fourth at the Great Midwest Athletic Conference Championships and 11th at the NCAA Division II Midwest Regional. The season was highlighted by then sophomore Ally Kuzma, winning the individual G-MAC championship. She also finished second at the Midwest Regional and 13th nationally at the NCAA Division II Championships, earning All-American honors.

“We’ve just started getting on campus but the transition is going well,” Kuzma, now a junior, said. “He believes a lot in our potential. I think we are often the last to believe in ourselves and his goals can sound scary, but with how confident and optimistic he seems it is good as the season goes for us to start believing in ourselves. Just because we have not been to nationals in many years doesn’t mean that this is not the year.” Jessica Bridenthal, head coach of the Hillsdale track and field teams, thanked White for his impact on team culture and shared her excitement for the team under Lynn. “If I were an incoming athlete, I would be so excited to work under Joe Lynn, especially considering the caliber of athlete he has worked with in the past years,” she said. “I would also love to thank Coach White for the

draft. Since entering the minor leagues, he has posted a 3.42 ERA, a 9-13 record, and 174 A former Hillsdale baseball strikeouts over 157.2 innings player might make his way back pitched. to Michigan and play for the “Athletically, I had pracDetroit Tigers, following his tice five days a week at Hillstrade from the Baltimore Ori- dale,” Barnhart said. “It got me oles July 30. into the workload that’s now Zane Barnhart, a right-hand- six games a week, and I also ed pitcher, played for Hillsdale learned how to balance my College for three years before time at Hillsdale between aththe Orioles picked him in the letics and academics. Now I just 17th round of the 2023 MLB focus on the athletic side of it. draft. The Tigers now asI really learned how to balsign him to its Double-A ance my lifestyle out.” team, the Erie Seawolves John Hunter ’25 played in Erie, Pennsylvania. Prewith Barnhart when they viously he played for the were students at HillsChesapeake Baysox, dale. Hunter was the Double-A team a catcher, and of the Orioles. despite never “I was definitely catching a game not expecting the with Barnhart trade,” Barnhart pitching, he said said. “The Baysox he learned a lot had a game in from practicing Alton, Pennsylvawith an athlete at nia, and I had just Barnhart’s level. got done throw“Catching for ing and I was him was awesome getting ready for and terrifying bethe game, when cause he almost our pitching conever missed his ordinator with the spot,” Hunter said. Orioles called me. “Everyone loved Whenever the pitching Zane. I still text him coordinator calls, you as I see highlights of know something haphim pop up on my pened.” feed and he always The Tigers acquired responds.” Barnhart by sending Since joining the catcher Jake Rogers to the Seawolves in AuOrioles. It was the start gust, Barnhart has of a series of transactions a 1-1 record, with a involving Rogers, who 2.89 ERA. His first belonged to four teams game in uniform in 21 days: the Tiwith the Seawolves gers and Ori- Courtesy | Hillsdale Athletic was August 1. oles, followed Department “Zane has a by the Boston fantastic work Red Sox and finally the Chicago ethic with an incredible attenWhite Sox, where he remains tion to detail,” Vessella said. today. Nobody in MLB history “Whether it was in the weight has played for more teams in room, conditioning, or just fewer days. playing catch, Zane was always “It’s always a good thing to locked into whatever task that get traded,” Barnhart said. “It was in front of him.” was really exciting, and it’s been Vessella said that draft picks great meeting all these new out of Division II schools are people with the Tigers orga- rare since the draft was shortnization. It’s been going pretty ened to 20 rounds in 2021. good so far.” The move to the Tiger’s orgaAt Hillsdale, Barnhart be- nization brings Barnhart back came a closer for the Char- to Michigan, closer to Hillsdale, gers, recording six saves in 20.1 where he got his start. innings of work with a 2.21 “Zane, alongside all of his earned run average in 2022. His former teammates that are huge 13 career saves remain the sec- Detroit Tiger fans, are thrilled ond-highest all-time by a Hills- that he is a part of the Tigers dale pitcher, a record he set in organization,” Vessella said. “It his junior year. Barnhart is the might shorten his path to the highest-selected baseball player big leagues. We will just have to ever taken from Hillsdale in the wait and see what happens.” By Elaine Kutas Senior Editor

joy he brought to the team. He brought so much joy, and for that, he was loved by the athletes.” Lynn said he valued the team culture that has been built at Hillsdale and hoped to maintain it. He also defined what success would look like as a team this season. “Being competitive and having a successful elite-level program as a whole is important, but from an individual standpoint, helping develop our student-athletes as students, as people, and then as runners, to reach their full potential in all three areas is also important. To me, that is success, and more success as a team will come if we are developing our athletes individually,” Lynn said. The men’s and women’s cross country teams will start the season at the Spartan Invitational at Michigan State University on Sept. 11.

Games Word Search - The following words are in the grid up, down, left, right, and diagonally. Different words may intersect. Once you've found all the words, read the unused letters left to right by rows to find a special message!

ACTIVITIES ADVISOR AIRPORT CADENCE CLASSES CONSTRUCTION DEANS FRESHMEN FRIENDS HALTER HAYDEN

JUNIOR ORIENTATION PACKAGES REGISTRATION RETURN ROOMMATE SENIOR SHOOTING SOPHOMORE SOURCE WELCOME

This week's solutions will appear alongside next week's puzzles. If you have questions or feedback, please contact Matthew Tolbert at mtolbert@hillsdale.edu.

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August 26, 2026

CULTURE The ‘City of Stars’ shines 10 years later New approach to ART By Grace Brennan Culture Editor This fall, cities across the world celebrated the 10th anniversary of director Damien Chazelle’s “La La Land” with live orchestra performances and special screenings. AMC Theaters invited “La La Land” back to theaters on Aug. 16. The film was digitally remastered for the anniversary with Dolby Vision HDR and Dolby Atmos to enhance its visual and sound quality. On Aug. 14, film composer Justin Hurwitz released a new version of “Mia and Sebastian’s Theme,” to celebrate both the 10th anniversary and the song reaching 300 million streams. The new theme replaces its original dramatic structure with a relaxed and softer ending, created for listening to outside of the soundtrack. The Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles, one of the most iconic locations in the film, hosted a screening of “La La Land” on Aug. 3 and 17. The event included a talk from producer Fred Berger, live music and drinks on the rooftop, and opportunities to walk through the famous planetarium. Other special events include La La Land In Concert, a showing of the movie paired with a live concert experience, which has been touring with Hurwitz Concerts since 2023. “La La Land” first premiered at the 73rd Venice International Film Festival during the summer of 2016 before hitting theaters the following winter. During its theatrical run in 2017, “La La Land” grossed $504.6 million in the box office. The film, set in LA, acts as a tribute to old Hollywood, following the lives of an actress and a jazz pianist trying to make it in the world of showbiz. Mia (Emma Stone) is introduced as an actress struggling to stand out, spending her nights surrounded by the glitz and glamour of Tinseltown, looking for “someone in the crowd” to notice her and make her famous. Sebastian (Ryan Gosling) is portrayed as an old

soul, living a less glamorous life, that of a “serious musician” dedicated to reviving jazz. Mia and Sebastian run into each other a few times at the start of the film. When Sebastian storms out of a restaurant he was playing jazz in, he aggressively bumps into Mia. Then, at a pool party, Mia makes fun of the “serious musician” by requesting he play the ’80s classic “I Ran.” Mutual spite unravels into a romance when they fall for the other’s passion toward their arts. As their relationship unfolds, Mia

an ABC News article, Chazelle and Hurwitz took inspiration from their own experiences of being turned down by the biggest producers in Hollywood for six years. When they were at Harvard together, 23 years ago, they had the idea to make a movie that reflects old Hollywood musicals. But no one in Hollywood was interested in bringing back dance routines and spontaneous singing, and especially not in the two being backed by jazz — a dying genre. In the meantime, Chazelle and Hurwitz made “Whiplash”

La La Land's 10th Anniversary poster Courtesy | Lionsgate

works toward her dreams of becoming an actress, but Sebastian gives up classic jazz for something new and exciting, and — most importantly — something that pays. “La La Land” shows the struggle to become successful, without losing a sense of self, in an industry focused on the next best thing. According to

(2014). It wasn’t until this gritty jazz film received five Oscar nominations that they were given the go ahead to make their “La La Land” dreams come true. The duo drew inspiration from many old Hollywood films, such as the scene in which Gosling and Stone sing “A Lovely Night,” resembling

Fred Astaire’s choreography in “A Fine Romance” and “Top Hat.” Some scenes with colorful costumes and props were inspired by old Hollywood’s love for primary colors, such as the dresses in the going out song “Someone in the Crowd,” reminiscent of “There’s Gotta Be Something Better Than This” from the 1969 film adaptation of “Sweet Charity.” The “Epilogue” is also full of old Hollywood easter eggs, like the bundle of colorful balloons from Audrey Hepburn’s performance in “Funny Face.” Stone and Gosling’s own experiences as artists who have given their all to stand out in LA elevate their performances as Mia and Sebastian. For their performances in the film, Stone won the Academy Awards for Best Actress, and Gosling won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Motion Picture (Musical or Comedy) in 2017. The last scene of “La La Land” highlights Stone and Gosling’s capabilities as actors. The “Epilogue” is one of the most emotional sequences in cinema, showing the life that Mia and Sebastian could have had together. It cuts to Sebastian in his jazz club Seb’s, playing the last note of his and Mia’s theme while Mia somberly stares at the man she loved. As Sebastian watches, Mia slowly walks away with her husband but stops at the door to look back at Sebastian, and they slowly, softly, smile at one another, then he somberly nods, and she leaves. Despite its melancholic ending, the 10th anniversary celebrations demonstrate that people love “La La Land” enough to travel to LA or Venice to celebrate the movie’s success — proof that jazz is not a dying genre and that old Hollywood styles can be new and exciting.

By Elizabeth Caneday Assistant Editor Senior Caleb Ostella studies art with a focus on drawing and painting and, this year, is serving as the president of art honorary Alpha Rho Tau.

Caleb Ostella's self-portrait Courtesy | Caleb Ostella

“The purpose of Alpha Rho Tau is really to bolster artistic excellence and community on campus,” Ostella said. “So it’s about finding a group of like-minded artists who are also intentional and driven to pursue excellence.” The ART board intends to host events which support the artistic community on campus, such as their annual art show. In the past, the honorary has hosted competitions, figure drawing sessions, and guest lecturers on various artistic topics. Junior Margaret Cole, vice president of ART, said she hopes the honorary will host monthly movie nights this year to feature “beautifully composed films.” Cole also runs an artist-of-the-month program, and shows educational videos about art at the honorary’s meetings. “As vice president, my main duty is to be there for Caleb, the board, and the members of Alpha Rho Tau to help them in whatever way I can,” Cole said. “I am looking forward to providing opportunities and environments that expose us all to great art more regularly.” Cole said that she is honored to serve on ART’s board with Ostella. “His kindness, work ethic,

creativity, and organization make him an excellent leader and a joy to work with,” Cole said. According to Ostella, this year he intends to focus on logistics for the honorary. “I’m working on operational procedures and documents that we didn’t really have in the past to have a very clear, concise vision of what Alpha Rho Tau is,” Ostella said. “I would phrase it as pursuing artistic excellence and a strong art community, and then passing that in confidence to the next year.” Ostella began drawing when he was 5 and was primarily self-taught. He said art classes at Hillsdale shaped his view of God’s creation. “Art has been one of the most impactful things in my life for seeing God’s beauty on Earth,” Ostella said. “When I came to Hillsdale, what changed for me was that specific ability of looking at the world. My perspective on the world shifted.” Ostella credits this change especially to classes with Julio Suarez, chairman of the art department and associate professor of art, and former Associate Professor of Art Anthony Frudakis. “Suarez has his way of approaching the world, and Frudakis has a different way because he’s a sculptor,” Ostella said. “It leads you to see the world in your own way.” During Ostella’s time at Hillsdale, Suarez has encouraged and witnessed Ostella’s growth. “Over the last few years I have seen Caleb’s artistic skills grow through his hard work and dedication to learning,” Suarez said. “The pressure of a looming senior show usually brings out the best in students like Caleb. I look forward to seeing what he will accomplish.”

‘Nolan’s Odyssey is Greek-god-haunted’: Professor symposium By Grace Brennan Culture Editor Was “The Odyssey” historically accurate? Associate Professor of English Dwight Lindley: The movie combines details from different historical epochs, just as Homer’s poems do. There were some elements from Vergil’s “Aeneid” (the character of Sinon; the clear immorality of lying) and later Christian thought (guilt substituted for Homeric shame, and explicit psychological exploration) are woven into the story, but in a way that develops real issues in Homer’s text. Chairman and Associate Professor of English Benedict Whalen: I found the treatment of the Greek gods interesting. Athena is the only Olympian deity we actually see, and she turns out to be a visual replica of a girl murdered during the fall of Troy. She functions more as a figure for Odysseus’ guilty memories than as a god. Calypso and Circe seem magical but not divine. Zeus is reduced to ominous thunder that sometimes occurs. Poseidon is reduced to a stormy ocean. All of this

adds up to a sort of secularized, de-divinized world; Nolan’s Odyssey is Greek-god-haunted but doesn’t really believe. Assistant Professor of Classics Mark McClay: Nolan shows interesting engagement with recent scholarship about the end of the Aegean Bronze Age (12th century B.C.), when civilizations around the Mediterranean were attacked by the so-called “Sea Peoples.” The archaeological record suggests links with the destruction of Troy with this period. Nolan’s premise is that the Greek attack on Troy is the culmination of a wave of attacks that swept over the Mediterranean world at the end of the Bronze Age. So the movie’s major historical reference points, while obviously speculative, do have some basis in historical (or pre-historical) events as we currently understand them. What do you think of Matt Damon’s Portrayal of Odysseus? Lindley: He was believably tough, though only mildly clever and not well-spoken at all. He plays Odysseus as more of a Vergilian character than a Homeric one,

with relatively little ambiguity and a strong, internalized moral sense (as opposed to Homer’s pervasive moral gray areas, and his more external honor/shame morality). In Damon’s defense, this is likely what Nolan wanted from him. Whalen: Matt Damon’s Odysseus is a man tortured with guilt. That’s pretty much his whole character. And that’s pretty boring compared to Homer’s Odysseus. So of course the movie culminates in a confession scene where Penelope sits behind the screen like a Catholic priest and gives Odysseus absolution. Nolan’s plugging for women’s ordination. McClay: Yes, he did well at playing the version of the character intended by the movie. His scenes with Calypso, while very different from anything in Homer, made for an interesting interpretation of the character. I think his performance in the last hour or so — his arrival in Ithaca and defeat of the suitors — was compelling in the end. As Homer’s Odyssey was originally oral, what are your

thoughts on this film adaptation? Lindley: It has to be drastically simplified in order to be presented on film, so it makes sense that they would cut out so much dialogue. I don’t mind their omissions of scenes so much, but the language (“let’s get off this f*cking beach!”) is ludicrously sub-Homeric in a number of places, and rarely rises to the kind of nobility and beauty we experience in the text. McClay: One of the film’s achievements is its sense of a gradual reconstruction of the past via individual oral remembrances: this is especially true for Telemachus (who is trying to reconstruct his father’s fate from the accounts of others) and Odysseus (who, at least in Nolan’s interpretation, spends his years with Calypso forgetting and remembering his past). Whalen: I was amused to watch a movie that supposedly im-

proves on Homer’s telling by giving women a larger voice and role in the story, and does so by eliminating all of the women characters from the Underworld and cutting the absolutely essential character of

Nausikaa. Nolan’s team decided, “Let’s improve on sexist antiquity by cutting a bunch of the awesome women from Homer’s story.” Illustrated by Maggie O'Connor

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August 26, 2026

f e a t u r e s Ron Saslow, Zane Navratil, Nathan Furness, and Joe Saslow (left to right) stand with the check. Courtesy | Nathan Furness

Alumna takes over Student Activities Board Furness By Sophia Bryant Features Editor After serving as an Olds resident assistant and Sohn’s first head RA, Sophia Rome ’25 stepped into her new role as director of student activities at the end of June. Rachel Marinko ’20, director of student programming, said that as the director of student activities, Rome will oversee the Student Activities Board team, ensure that SAB events run smoothly, and help run freshman orientation and Curate. “She is a positive, joyful, faith-filled person and puts others before herself,” Marinko said. “I actually had the pleasure of working with Sophia when she was a student RA in Olds, and I was the house director there. She was always the energy behind the team, sharing her joy and excitement with everyone around her.” Olivia Calvert ’25, the McIntyre Residence house director and Rome’s twin sister, attended Hillsdale with Rome. The two lived in Olds Residence together their freshman year and were both placed as RAs in Olds for their sophomore year. “I think my favorite part about freshman and especially sophomore year was seeing us grow next to each other, but also become our own established individuals,” Calvert said. When they served as RAs in Olds together, Rome and

Calvert choreographed the dorm’s Mock Rock dance. They are both classically trained dancers, according to Calvert. “I loved Mock Rock my freshman year,” Rome said. “I really looked forward to choreographing it when I became an RA. Olivia and I were just talking about it over the summer, and we signed up to do it together as RAs. We’ve danced together our whole lives, so it just felt very natural to choreograph it together.” At the end of her sophomore year while she studied for finals, Rome considered what she wanted to do after finishing her degree. “I really didn’t want to stay in academia, or stay in school for longer than I did,” Rome said. “And I always wanted to do something creative, and I just kind of had the fleeting thought, ‘What if I became a photographer?’” Rome took her last final and went back home to Minnesota, where one of her best friends, who is also a photographer, took her on shoots. By the end of the summer, Rome bought her first camera. “It’s really cool to see what happened from there,” Rome said. “When I started doing photography, I gave my business to the Lord and just said, ‘Whatever you want. Let your will be done with it.’” When Rome returned to Hillsdale for her junior year, she served as Sohn Residence’s first head RA. “It was basically a blank

slate that she was walking into, but she just has an eye and the ability to foster culture and community, and to lead not only a team but also the entire dorm,” Calvert said. Rome said her role as head RA gave her the first opportunity to lead a team. She started the year wanting to serve her team and to serve the dorm as a whole. “I remember looking back at one of the last meetings, and just seeing how much we grew as a team, and I was so thankful for that, and it definitely was not me,” Rome said. “The team did so much to really grow the dorm, and I could not have done it without them.” Rome said both the residents and her RA team set the foundation for a “homey atmosphere” in Sohn. They made meals together in the kitchen and hosted friends in the little nooks throughout the dorm. Every Sunday, some of the Sohn residents and RAs watched the TV show “Farmer Wants a Wife” together. “There were a lot of laughs and again, it just created a lot of community that way,” Rome said. “I met a lot of girls that I wouldn’t necessarily have met otherwise.” After she graduated in 2025, Rome started a photography business, Sophia Rome Photography. She traveled to do photo shoots while living and working different flexible jobs, like nannying, in Hillsdale. Rome’s experience as a wedding photographer gives her insight into event planning that will be helpful for her new role, according to Calvert. “She sees the behind the scenes of everything, and she works with so many different vendors,” Calvert said. Marinko said she already has made great memories working with Rome. “She is such a giver,” Marinko said. “Once this summer she brought things to the office to make lattes for all of us, just because. She’s always doing little things like that to brighten our days.” Rome said she has loved getting to know the SAB team. “I’m excited for everybody to come back on campus, and to see a lively campus community again,” Rome said. “I’m really excited to get to know my team more and to spend the year with them.”

Courtesy | Sophia Rome

Quick Hits Patrick Timmis

Compiled by Skye Graham Assistant Editor In this Quick Hits, former Collegian editor in chief and Assistant Professor of English Patrick Timmis ’13 talks campus culture, Shakespeare, and teaching. What was your favorite class when you were a Hillsdale student? Western Heritage with Dr. Stewart and English 320 with Dr. David Whalen. How has Hillsdale changed since you went here? It has become more obviously Christian, which is a very good

thing. The students have the same zeal for learning, which is a very good thing. Admissions have continued to become more competitive, which means that the student body is increasingly made up of high school valedictorians and salutatorians. When that’s the makeup of your student body, that means that being middle of the pack is not only to be expected, it’s pretty darn good. But I also find that students have a harder time accepting that fact than we did, which is not such a good thing — it leads to a sort of constant performance anxiety that will steal your joy if you’re not careful.

If you were not a professor, what would you want to do for work? Well, I trained to be a journalist, so probably what y’all at The Collegian are doing. What is your favorite book and why? I’m not sure I have one. I think I have a favorite Shakespeare play (“Measure for Measure”). I have a favorite Russian novel (Tolstoy’s “Anna Karenina”). I have a favorite epic poem (“Paradise Lost”). I have a favorite detective story (Dorothy Sayers’ “Gaudy Night”), 20th century-historical novel (Patrick O’Brian’s “Master & Commander”), and Cold-War novel

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“It’s this huge event where all the best pickleball players in the world are in Grand Rapids, and they’re also playing alongside amateurs,” Furness said. Furness, who is from Grand Rapids, plays at Belknap Park frequently during the summer. For the tournament, food trucks and vendors filled the park, and this year, airplanes flew by with advertisements. More than 4,000 people attended the MLP midseason tournament this year, according to Furness. “It’s pretty exciting for all of us,” Furness said. “It’s like your home gets turned into this huge stadium, and all the best players are there.” Furness and his partner, Tommy Vriesman, a close family friend, competed in the 1-Point Challenge against 256 other competitors. Furness said because the entry fee was only $5, he planned to play a couple of one-point matches, and once he lost, watch the rest of the event or play casual matches with friends. Meredith Furness, Nathan’s mother, said she didn’t go to the tournament initially because she thought Furness would just play a couple of rounds, lose, and come home. “It didn’t seem like a big deal,” Meredith Furness said. “It was possible that he would play one point and lose, and we didn’t want to pay for tickets just to watch potentially only 1 one-point game.” But Furness and Vriesman won their first few matches on July 9 and 10. Vriesman said for the first half of the challenge, the duo played on two roll-out courts in the parking lot. “It was super hot outside, but the vibes were off the charts, it was so cool,” Vriesman said. “Everyone was so stoked to be there. Playing with Nathan was so fun.” Furness and Vriesman made it to the top eight doubles teams. Everyone in the top eight was separated from their initial partner and paired on a doubles team with a professional player for Saturday and Sunday. Furness was paired with Zane Navratil, who has won more than 100 medals in professional pickleball tournaments. They competed on the main court in the park, surrounded by stands full of onlookers. “I didn’t really realize they were gonna make this a huge thing,” Furness said. “It was on PickleballTV, and it was on the (John le Carré’s “Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy”). I just finished Wallace Stegner’s 1987 campus novel “Crossing to Safety” on Sunday and am still pretty torn up by it. You get the point.

main court in front of all the fans. So super energetic, and very nerve-wracking for me. All the players really, even the pros, said they were nervous because it’s literally one point.” Meredith Furness had tickets on Saturday to watch the professionals play, so she was able to watch Furness and Navratil play on the center court. Furness and Navratil played a one-point match on Saturday and three on Sunday, winning all four. “I didn’t do much once I got partnered with Zane,” Furness said. “He kind of just took the whole court. I hit a couple balls, but he was playing big and hitting all the winning shots for me, which was nice because I was really nervous.” After Furness and Navratil beat the other teams, they played each other in a onepoint singles match to determine the overall winner of the challenge and the recipient of the $20,000 prize. “I beat him, somehow, in the one-point of singles,” Furness said. “He claims that he was trying, but people said he wasn’t because he hit the ball out. But he says he was trying.” The crowd erupted when Furness won the challenge. “I think there was a little extra interest that he represented Grand Rapids as a hometown player, and everyone was excited that the amateur beat the professional,” Meredith Furness said. Nathan Furness was also shocked that he won. Someone handed him a “massive” $20,000 check. “I just blacked out,” Furness

said. “I don’t even remember. I was like, ‘This is crazy.’” Furness started playing pickleball two years ago, during his sophomore year at Hillsdale. Furness and senior Josh Mistry started Hillsdale’s pickleball club two years ago as a recreational club. “We just made a GroupMe, and it was just like, ‘If you guys want to play pickleball, join the GroupMe,’” Furness said. This year, the pickleball club will be an official club sport, according to Furness. The club will compete in tournaments against other school’s club teams, while also maintaining the casual open pickleball matches. Over the past two summers, Furness worked in Grand Rapids and played pickleball at Belknap Park after work. “I would go four or five times a week at night if I didn’t have anything else going on,” Furness said. “I just go down there and play pickleball. There’s 25 courts. It’s a super friendly environment. It’s always super busy, and it’s where all the top players in the area are too. So it’s the best place to get better at.” Since winning the challenge, Furness said he’s been on Navratil’s podcast, “PicklePod.” He said he plans to invest his winnings. “It was honestly just surreal for me to be playing at my home park in front of the fans on PickleballTV,” Furness said. “Pickleball’s been a huge part of my life for the last few years, so it was pretty crazy.”

Furness and Navratil compete in the tournament. Courtesy | Nathan Furness

to hobbies in the last decade or so. I used to cycle a lot. I still try to lift fairly regularly. What’s your favorite food? Sushi.

If you could have dinner with three historical figures, who would you choose? St. Augustine, John Milton, C.S. Lewis.

What is the funniest thing a student has ever said to you? I’ve had groups of students where it seemed that we laughed all through class, but I honestly can’t remember why. Certainly not because I was funny. Probably because we were enjoying the text and one another’s company, and united by shared loves. Where did you grow up? Here in Michigan, first in the Detroit suburbs, and then on a little hobby farm west of Lansing. What are your hobbies? I haven’t had much time to give

“Timmis the Terrible” during his time at Hillsdale. Courtesy | Patrick Timmis